Driller Engine Grand Prix (episode)
is the 26th episode of the Space Ninja Team Star Trigon anime. It aired in Japan on August 27, 1972 and in North America on August 29, 1981. Plot While Wataru begins to go outside to do his weekly bike ride across Kasukabe, he notices a will-o-the-wisp that appears. As Wataru walks down the path it takes him to, it takes him down to a go-kart track. When he arrives, he notices a glasses-wearing girl in pink hair, and introduces herself to Wataru as Miyuki Takara, making it Miyuki's first appearance in The Drillimation Series. As Miyuki explains, she tells Wataru that she has been enslaved by Team Ankoku and the only way to free her is to win a gold medal at a Driller Engine Grand Prix. The referee tells Wataru that he has never been experienced with a Driller Engine machine before, and that Wataru has never competed in any race before. During practice before the official Driller Engine Grand Prix in Guy City, RG, Wataru struggles to drift while turning, and when Wataru tries to drift on a really tight curve, he slips on a banana and crashes into a pole. Wataru becomes briefly injured from the crash until the next day, where Wataru drifts successfully but doesn't perform a mini-turbo. Meanwhile at Dr. Manhole's Fortress, a Team Ankoku hacker asks Eguri about the Driller Engine Grand Prix, and refers to it as "nonsense", due to the fact she was actually invited, along with Keel. While Kowars and Keel are discussing the tournament, Kowars tells him that he has spread rumors that he will shove a spiny shell up their butts, therefore ruining the tournament. The day of the Driller Engine Grand Prix arrives, and Wataru has still not completed his training. Their coach asks Miyuki to be the driver and Wataru be the co-driver. As the two try to get a rocket start, Keel uses an explosive engine for a rocket start, leaving a few behind, while Wataru and Miyuki take the race. The first fifty laps are dominated by Keel and Eguri, and as the two try to attack the opponents with items, Miyuki uses her ice shell, while Wataru uses fireballs. As the race ongoes, the two finally manage to take the lead after completing around the 90th lap. When halftime comes around after the 100th lap, Keel manages to ruin it by jumping on-stage and using the Super Mecha Death Shell against the conductor, causing Keel and Eguri to be sent to last place for the second half of the race. When the group reaches lap 115, Keel and Eguri manage to catch up to the duo using a golden mushroom, but Wataru manages to hit them with a red shell and a few other competitors manage to screw them over using bananas and green shells. At lap 155, Miyuki's right leg becomes sore after pushing it so hard on the gas petal, and is forced to switch. As Wataru begins to drive again, Wataru comes around the very tight corner and finally manages to pull a mini-turbo. Wataru mini-turbos his way across the course for the next twenty laps, until they are hit by a spiny shell which sends them back to tenth place, but Miyuki manages to get a triple red shell and attacks the drivers in ninth, fifth, and second. When the duo reach lap 190, Keel and Eguri manage to get back into second place, which causes the big fight again. Right around the last corner on the final lap, Miyuki hears the hissing of a spiny shell and makes it hit Keel and Eguri, which causes them to be sent to last place. Wataru and Miyuki cross the finish line and become the winners of the Driller Engine Grand Prix.